Who’s in form and who’s NOT? What differentiates two? These are the questions I’ve tried to look at in light of Zunaed Siddiqui’s recent benching as Farhad Reza also continues to get the shaft. Zunaed’s has been a particularly depressing event for me personally, and Farhad’s continued shafting a great source of discomfort.

So I’ve looked at the last 10 ODI performances of ‘out of form’ players who suffered the axe throughout our some of our history and compared those numbers with players who stay in the team no matter what.

I looked at batting numbers over their last 10 ODIs and did not take into consideration matches against minnow sides, including the depleted Zimbabwe sides. However, in Farhad’s and Mehrab Jr’s case I did include their Zimbabwe numbers simply because they haven’t had the chance to play 10 matches against stronger sides yet, hence the * after their names.

Poor Zunaed has played just 4 ODIs before being benched, so he’s only in the newbie list. As are Riyad and Mehrab Jr for similar reasons. Less than 10 ODIs against quality opposition is no way to assess anybody IMHO, unless they suck beyond reason.

I calculated form by adding runs from their last 10 matches against stronger sides and dividing the total by 10. That gave me their API or Average Per Innings. Then I measured their consistency by subtracting the sum of their highest and lowest scores during that run and dividing that number by 8 or in case of two of the newbies, the appropriate number. That gave me the AC or Average in terms of Consistency.

Ranking the players, I’ve given priority to AC over API.

I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and analysis, thanks ... :)

AsifTheManRahman

March 11, 2008, 11:54 AM

No one in the Bangladesh cricket team is ever in form. To be labeled as being in form a player will have completed a successful run of consistent performances.

Tamim, Zunaed and Shahadat may just have fulfilled the criteria over the last couple of months, although it is early days for Z.

Miraz

March 11, 2008, 11:54 AM

Sohel is in form... now who's not! :D

BTW, all Bangladeshi players are now memorizing the famous old word..they are not at all concerned with the word "form".

Form is temporary, but class is permanent. ;)

Good topic.

Sohel

March 11, 2008, 11:55 AM

So here it goes. First, the discarded players: -

1. Hannan Sarkar: API 24.7 > AC 24.63

2. JOB Golla: API 26.2 > AC 22.75

3. NR Durjoy: API 20.8 > AC 20.25

4. AA Khan: API 23.4 > AC 19

5. MH Opi: API 17.3 > AC 16.4

6. AI Bulbul: API 18.1 > AC 14.38

7. Akram Khan: API 14.4 > AC 13.5 & MR Babu: API 14.4 > AC 13.5

8. SH Biddut: API 15.2 > AC 13.13

9. Md. N Iqbal Khan: API 14.1 > AC 12.63

10. K Md. RS Alam: API 18.1 > AC 12.4

11. KM Pilot: API 13.3 > AC 12.13

12. MR GoBoy: API 12.2 > AC 10.5

13. KMI Rana (RIP): API 12.4 > AC 10.13

14. F Reza*: API 11* > AC 9.5*

15. KHB HaBa: API 11.6 > AC 9.13

16. MA Nannu: API 12.4 > AC 8.9 & A Kapali: API 10 > AC 8.9

17. T Imran: API 9.9 > AC 8.5

18. S Hossain: API 8.4 > AC 7.13

19. Md. Rafiq: API 7.2 > AC 5.25

20. Md. AS Rokon: API 4.2 > AC 4

Only1raz

March 11, 2008, 11:56 AM

Below is a list of Bangladeshi batsmen that have represented Bangladesh or have the potential to between the ages of 19-25

Its one (if not then half) of the simplest question.
The management (selectors, bcb officials) of BCB is always in form.

Sovik

March 11, 2008, 12:18 PM

Sohel is in form... now who's not! :D

BTW, all Bangladeshi players are now memorizing the famous old word..they are not at all concerned with the word "form".

Form is temporary, but class is permanent. ;)

Good topic.

he had great average of 42 and that dropped to 34.

Miraz

March 11, 2008, 12:21 PM

he had great average of 42 and that dropped to 34.

Too bad, at least he should not follow Bashar. :D

I hope he will find his supreme form back soon. :)

Sohel

March 11, 2008, 12:23 PM

Looking at the numbers, the sorry state of our cricket leaps out at me first. Then the obvious relationship between the inherent instability of being arbitrary, and the obvious consequences of such inconstencies for our cricket.

Enough is enough !

Sohel

March 11, 2008, 12:24 PM

Too bad, at least he should not follow Bashar. :D

I hope he will find his supreme form back soon. :)

Haha, I don't see those high 30s to mid 40s numbers coming back anytime soon.

But going below 30, highly unlikely ... ;)

Beamer

March 11, 2008, 12:25 PM

Sohel

I am extremely dissapointed with these crew of selectors. How can you drop Junaid? I thought they were all about grooming a young team for the future under the tutelage of Siddons. I thought Junaid, along with Tamim were the two batsmen who adapted and adjusted better than any other member in the current team to the techniques of Siddons. Sure Junaid has got out to 'khocha' outside off, but, he has shown a tremendous capacity to learn and do what is expected off an opener, specially in tests. I thought a big innings from him in ODI's are just around the corner. This is beyond stupidity. There were no need whatsoever to change 1,2,3 in the line up- TI, Juniad, SN - that played the test series and the first ODI. Now, all of a sudden SN will open after getting his feet wet in no.3!

I am extremely dissapointed with these crew of selectors. How can you drop Junaid? I thought they were all about grooming a young team for the future under the tutelage of Siddons. I thought Junaid, along with Tamim were the two batsmen who adapted and adjusted better than any other member in the current team to the techniques of Siddons. Sure Junaid has got out to 'khocha' outside off, but, he has shown a tremendous capacity to learn and do what is expected off an opener, specially in tests. I thought a big innings from him in ODI's are just around the corner. This is beyond stupidity. There were no need whatsoever to change 1,2,3 in the line up- TI, Juniad, SN - that played the test series and the first ODI. Now, all of a sudden SN will open after getting his feet wet in no.3!

My feelings exactly, twinsanity !

These MFs are beyond reason and are really asking for it. I'm shocked to see Coach Siddons going along with this crap, and I also don't think Ash is yet mature enough to play the type of role he has been playing in selecting the XI. That said, despite his HaBa-esque idiocies from the second test, I have no other issues with his captaincy yet.

I just hope this trend doesn't last too long. If it does, we'll be playing second-tier cricket and instead of "doing what we need to", i.e improving the NCL and playing loads of regular A-Team cricket, we'll end up "not doing what we must", i.e. flunk ourselves out of all the advantages of having test status ... :(

Beamer

March 11, 2008, 12:39 PM

I do not want to comment on these selectors. I will get banned for sure. Get that Adam Barlow kid and his tranquillizer gun, get this 'bagh' and leave him in Kotka..

There were no need whatsoever to change 1,2,3 in the line up- TI, Juniad, SN - that played the test series and the first ODI. Now, all of a sudden SN will open after getting his feet wet in no.3!

Batting 1,2 or 3 is essentially the same thing. If bat in the top 3 you have to be a good new ball player. Moreover, if play for Bd at #3 you are practically doing the opener's job. SN by trade is an opener, I don't know why they play him in middle order to be frank. You need accumulators in the middle by SN by no means is that. I actually don't have an accumulator of runs in the team. Rokibul Hassan looked good to me. Yes his SR was bad but he played properly and didn't look like getting out. Didn't swing and miss too much, looked to accumulate in the middle. Same with Dhiman but having said that I hope I don't jinx those two guys. Both looked solid in their approach. They both need to just find gaps more often.

BANFAN

March 11, 2008, 01:42 PM

No one in the Bangladesh cricket team is ever in form. To be labeled as being in form a player will have completed a successful run of consistent performances.

Tamim, Zunaed and Shahadat may just have fulfilled the criteria over the last couple of months, although it is early days for Z.

True

None of our players have ever played consecutive good innings, HB probably did in some old time, Jokhon arober lokera dhan chash korito.

Dhakablues

March 11, 2008, 05:27 PM

I dont think any of the players are really out of form.. because what we see is their actual form. Sometimes, they score some 50s but thats by an accident and they really didnt mean to do that,, especially they didnt want to hurt the opposition players.. So, yeah, our mean score is what? 15? and thats how it is,,, we continueously score around 200 and get really excited of winning a game when we score 240!!! I mean,, seriously, which international team thinks of winning a game after scoring 240? We are literally 100 runs ( or years) away from any opposition...

Thanks Sohel for the remarkable analysis. But I think your next analysis should be about the accidents. Like,, how many <20 scores does it take to score a accidental 40 by Ashraful? Or how many times after being 5 wickets down with 40 runs on board will we score the "magical" 240...

Spitfire_x86

March 11, 2008, 05:39 PM

When the batting average of everyone is limited to 20-25 max, it's pointless to talk about "form".

Cricket46

March 11, 2008, 06:08 PM

Like most people have said, hardly anyone has form. If they do perform it is a one-time thing. As for Ashraful, I don't even know if he has form or not, because no matter what, he bats irresponsibly. If he has not learnt his role yet, as the premium batsman of our team, he never will. Now in addition, he talks like a fool.

As long as 3-4 of the top 6 batsmen do not score 40-50 on a regular basis, we will be humiliated all the time. The law of large numbers will catch up and once in a while we will have a decent performance. So, to me, changing this player for that player does not make much of a difference. We have tried young, old and everything in between. Nothing seems to work. Sorry for sounding so negative.

Hope they prove me wrong in this 2nd ODI.

Ishtylish cricketer

March 11, 2008, 06:13 PM

Like most people have said, hardly anyone has form. If they do perform it is a one-time thing. As for Ashraful, I don't even know if he has form or not, because no matter what, he bats irresponsibly. If he has not learnt his role yet, as the premium batsman of our team, he never will. Now in addition, he talks like a fool.

As long as 3-4 of the top 6 batsmen do not score 40-50 on a regular basis, we will be humiliated all the time. The law of large numbers will catch up and once in a while we will have a decent performance. So, to me, changing this player for that player does not make much of a difference. We have tried young, old and everything in between. Nothing seems to work. Sorry for sounding so negative.

Hope they prove me wrong in this 2nd ODI.

Spot on mate. Nothing will change if we don't try to keep wicket in hand and throw away starts. I seriously feel that SA fielders need to drop 2-3 catches for us to post 250. Btw, will the same links show the 2nd ODI as well?

Tigers_eye

March 12, 2008, 08:16 AM

Salaam Sohel bhai,
None of our batsmen are in-form or off-form. They don't know the meaning of form to begin with. Fans don't know the meaning of it. Selectors definitely don't know what the heck form means.

Anywho, in 2006 we had a discussion of "form". You can have a look at it.
http://www.banglacricket.com/alochona/showthread.php?t=17927
Like most people have said, hardly anyone has form. If they do perform it is a one-time thing. As for Ashraful, I don't even know if he has form or not, because no matter what, he bats irresponsibly. If he has not learnt his role yet, as the premium batsman of our team, he never will. Now in addition, he talks like a fool.

As long as 3-4 of the top 6 batsmen do not score 40-50 on a regular basis, we will be humiliated all the time. The law of large numbers will catch up and once in a while we will have a decent performance. So, to me, changing this player for that player does not make much of a difference. We have tried young, old and everything in between. Nothing seems to work. Sorry for sounding so negative.

Hope they prove me wrong in this 2nd ODI.
No, they proved you correct.

In form or not, what our players lack is a sense of responsibility, ANY PLAYER. We just don't play responsibly, somehow over and over again we go wrong in the basics of cricket. Since Siddons is here, he is trying to correct a lot of these things, specially working on the basics and techniques, and that is why we are seeing such poor results in recent ODIs. Your probably witnessed the work of Siddons during the partnership of Shakib-Rakib. It is just going to take us a while to adopt the teaching of basics and techniques. Expect a no different result in the 3rd ODI.

BTW however, I was sorta not too happy that our players are not hitting out enough during the powerplay. But thats just me as a fan. However, I was happy how Shakib and Rakib were rotating the strike.

On a different note, I was happy to see Siddon's reaction when Dhiman was given out due to the pressure on umprie by SA coach, Arthur. Haven't seen that from Whatmore or any other BD coach before. This goes to show that Siddon is passionate about our cricket. :) That was the second good thing I felt after Shakib-Rakib partnership.

I have not watched MH Rubel bowl. His batting and running is pathetic. He should never be taken in the team as all rounder. What do you guys reckon about his bowling?

Tigers_eye

March 12, 2008, 08:41 AM

In form or not, what our players lack is a sense of responsibility, ANY PLAYER. We just don't play responsibly, somehow over and over again we go wrong in the basics of cricket. Since Siddons is here, he is trying to correct a lot of these things, specially working on the basics and techniques, and that is why we are seeing such poor results in recent ODIs. Your probably witnessed the work of Siddons during the partnership of Shakib-Rakib. It is just going to take us a while to adopt the teaching of basics and techniques. Expect a no different result in the 3rd ODI.
Certainly Siddons needs to spend time with Ash cause I recon Ash is learning nothing from Siddons as of yet.

BTW however, I was sorta not too happy that our players are not hitting out enough during the powerplay. But thats just me as a fan. However, I was happy how Shakib and Rakib were rotating the strike.
lol, hatey nai shokti. How can they hit? That is why they get out with a simple catch at the end.

On a different note, I was happy to see Siddon's reaction when Dhiman was given out due to the pressure on umprie by SA coach, Arthur. Haven't seen that from Whatmore or any other BD coach before. This goes to show that Siddon is passionate about our cricket. :) That was the second good thing I felt after Shakib-Rakib partnership.
Me 2.

I have not watched MH Rubel bowl. His batting and running is pathetic. He should never be taken in the team as all rounder. What do you guys reckon about his bowling?
Rubel has no clue against pacers. Prone to give catch at the slips or WK. Bowling nothing special. Enam, Riyad or even Mehrab Jr. can do the same job.

Ehsan

March 12, 2008, 08:50 AM

Certainly Siddons needs to spend time with Ash cause I recon Ash is learning nothing from Siddons as of yet.

He did actually, at least to some extent, but the lack of runs applying the learning put him in two minds (Tests and first ODI). Thus, he got out in the fashion he did. I thought it was a good shot, and a good catch as well. But very poor judgement of field setting by Ash.

lol, hatey nai shokti. How can they hit? That is why they get out with a simple catch at the end.

They were using the power plays better when Whatmore was here, or is it because Aftab is absent in this ODI series?

Rubel has no clue against pacers. Prone to give catch at the slips of WK. Bowling nothing special. Enam, Riyad or even Mehrab Jr. can do the same job.

That's sad. I don't know if selectors will stick with him or not. However, I will get an all rounder instead of him. I will only play him in ODIs if Razzak is absent, in test I am not sure. If he cannot do better than any of our current lots then there is no point. Farhad deserves a call in the next game.

Spitfire_x86

March 12, 2008, 08:52 AM

Rubel has no clue against pacers. Prone to give catch at the slips or WK. Bowling nothing special. Enam, Riyad or even Mehrab Jr. can do the same job.
Agree. His place in the ODI team should be taken by Riyad or Farhad. If his bowling is no better in tests, then unfortunately we don't have any use for him in either version of the game (except maybe as injury backup for Razzak)

abu2abu

March 12, 2008, 09:16 AM

For the next game zunaed should be recalled (nazimuddin dropped) and Mosharraf should be replaced by reza. If we really did need 3 spinners, riyad should've been in the squad. As he's not, Reza should get the nod...

Spitfire_x86

March 12, 2008, 09:24 AM

For the next game zunaed should be recalled (nazimuddin dropped) and Mosharraf should be replaced by reza. If we really did need 3 spinners, riyad should've been in the squad. As he's not, Reza should get the nod...
It's unfair to drop a guy just after 1 match. If someone has to make way for Junaed in the 3rd match, it should be SN.

If Aftab is fit for the Ireland series, both SN and Nazim should be benched.

DJ Sahastra

March 12, 2008, 09:48 AM

I must say something at the risk of irking many a fans here - when Alok did bat, he used to look some class with no inherent/apparent weakness.

Same cannot be said of many from the existing and newly introduced crop.

I think he deserved to play a few ODIs on his comeback instead of being judged by his scorelines from 20-20.

Fazal

March 12, 2008, 09:53 AM

Recycling same product will bring the same old end product. You can twick here and there, and if still you get the same end product. Thats tells you its time to recycle new type of product to see what it produce as an end product.

Other wise it will be same ol story...Garbage in Garbage out.....

abu2abu

March 12, 2008, 10:09 AM

I must say something at the risk of irking many a fans here - when Alok did bat, he used to look some class with no inherent/apparent weakness.

Same cannot be said of many from the existing and newly introduced crop.

I think he deserved to play a few ODIs on his comeback instead of being judged by his scorelines from 20-20.

That's a fair point. Nazimuddin was poor in the T20s yet he's been picked again here, so why not alok? (I know, I know, he's had far more opportunities...)

abu2abu

March 12, 2008, 10:12 AM

It's unfair to drop a guy just after 1 match. If someone has to make way for Junaed in the 3rd match, it should be SN.

If Aftab is fit for the Ireland series, both SN and Nazim should be benched.

I agree it would be unfair to drop nazimuddin on the basis of one game. However, I've seen quite a bit of him and am not convinced that he's world class material. For an apparently "technically correct" batsman, he's getting out far too many times LBW for my liking.

I suspect he's just a lazy batsman and a poor fielder...

Fortuner

March 12, 2008, 11:08 AM

Sohel bhai,
I feel they dropped Zunaed just to let Nazim play a match. Nazim, no matter what team managment say i.e. he is technically sound and all, i feel all whtz being said are crap coz again He got out LBW....jst feel he is technically nt gud.Zunaed if we see practically,ctn b dropped coz he jst played all2gather 4-5odis,rite and as u say i also say less than 10odi u cnt judge a batsman...

shongkhonil

March 12, 2008, 11:48 AM

I think the BD Women's team is in much better form then the men's team. Maybe we should give them a shot at SA. BD selector's are always up for trying new thing's, new combination so maybe this is the answer. Instead of bringing all these young kid's to the slaughter house, let the ladies show them how it's done. :)

Beamer

March 12, 2008, 01:41 PM

I must say something at the risk of irking many a fans here - when Alok did bat, he used to look some class with no inherent/apparent weakness.

Same cannot be said of many from the existing and newly introduced crop.

I think he deserved to play a few ODIs on his comeback instead of being judged by his scorelines from 20-20.

Doesn't irk me at all.

Beamer

March 12, 2008, 01:56 PM

Recycling same product will bring the same old end product. You can twick here and there, and if still you get the same end product. Thats tells you its time to recycle new type of product to see what it produce as an end product.

Other wise it will be same ol story...Garbage in Garbage out.....

I thought you recycle old products to create something new. And, what sort of new product needs recycling Fazal Mamu?

Fazal

March 12, 2008, 02:11 PM

I thought you recycle old products to create something new. And, what sort of new product needs recycling Fazal Mamu?

You recycle plastic you get raw material for plastic.

You recycle cans you get alumuniam.

You re-cycle ghoo.... you get raw meterial for fertilizer. May be we need to recycle ghuu.:D

I must say something at the risk of irking many a fans here - when Alok did bat, he used to look some class with no inherent/apparent weakness.

Same cannot be said of many from the existing and newly introduced crop.

I think he deserved to play a few ODIs on his comeback instead of being judged by his scorelines from 20-20.

That doesn't bother me at all DJ and you know that ... :)

That said, Alok does need to play a lot more A-Team Cricket before hoping to make a better transition at this level and finally SUSTAIN his International career. Performing when it REALLY counts in domestic cricket would be the first step.

Everyone, including those allergic to him, have high expectations of him. The only way he can meet those expectations is by doing whatever necessary to overcome some of the psychological issues which make him a totally different batsman at the International level from what some of us have come to be amazed by in domestic cricket.

If that means he has to wait like Misbah-ul-Haq, so be it.

Rokibul Hasan Nirala has had a god start to his International career Mashallah, just as Alok and quite a few others did in the past. I pray that he does a better job sustaining his early promise.

International Cricket is hard bro, just one strike and you're out. Then you have the weight of people's impatient expectations under the lights, and their propensity to turn on you when you fail, and scapegoat you just as easily they've made a hero out of you.

Anyway, I remain optimistic about all our players and can't wait to see them perform better and more consistently in their late 20s to mid 30s Inshallah.

Peace, Sohel.

Beamer

March 12, 2008, 02:24 PM

Dhurro.. gondho choraitese... air freshner dia loi..

http://www.h-e-d.co.uk/images/airoma-burst-air-freshener.jpg#

Did HaBa enter the room?

Murad

March 12, 2008, 02:24 PM

All our batsmen are in form. They are very much consistent in failing to score. If you don't call this form then I don't know what's the other meaning of the word.

I think Moshraf Rubel shouldn't be in the ODI team. He will do alright in Test cricket. Rafique didn't say Rubel is a good ODI bowler. He said Rubel has the capability to bowl for long time in the longer version cricket.

I think Moshraf Rubel shouldn't be in the ODI team. He will do alright in Test cricket. Rafique didn't say Rubel is a good ODI bowler. He said Rubel has the capability to bowl for long time in the longer version cricket.

Nothing against MH Rubel, but I think we have too many SLAs already in the ODI set up. A little variety with the additional ability to hit a few is what's needed.

Farhad Reza, a player who continues to improve both with bat and ball, is the way to go IMHO. I'll pick him over both Riyad and Rubel anyday at this point. I think it was complete nonsense leaving him out.

Teams like SA learn from their mistakes, and with two quality SLAs of their own nowadays, they've obviously learned to deal with SLAs better. It was moronic of us to assume that they wouldn't, and look who's eating it now !

I have issues with Nazim's Tushar-esque footwork and feel that he needs to play more Academy and A-Team Cricket to correct that, build confidence, and make a more sustainable career at this level Inshallah. That said, now that he's in the team, I'd persist with him but let him bat further down the order in the 3rd match.

Murad

March 12, 2008, 03:27 PM

We need to have Riyad in his place. Riyad showeld his potential in only match he played against Srilanka.

He should be given another chance.

Rubel should be dropped from the ODI no matter what. He should only concentrate on longer version, in which he's very match alright both as batsman and bowler.

Sohel

March 12, 2008, 04:37 PM

Ignoring the basics of cricket, too much shuffling and jodi laigga jay-type of wishful thinking, things we've been doing since day 1, have brought us to this ugly place we're having a hard time crawling out of.

I've posted some numbers to try and show that, apparently to no avail. Until the basic infrastructure issues are qualitatively addressed, it will always be jaha bahanno, tahai tipanno !

Sohel

March 12, 2008, 05:27 PM

He should only concentrate on longer version, in which he's very match alright both as batsman and bowler.

I'll go with Rafiq when it comes to his bowling potential, although I didn't see the variations he talked about. Rubel's batting on the other hand is complete shite !